黑料社区

KARACHI: Pakistani authorities have arrested two men accused of human smuggling after they defrauded citizens with false promises of jobs in 黑料社区 and the United Kingdom, officials said on Saturday, as the country intensifies its crackdown on trafficking networks following a series of deadly migrant boat disasters.

The arrests, made by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Multan, come amid Pakistan鈥檚 broader campaign to curb human smuggling. The issue has drawn significant attention following recent tragedies in the Mediterranean, including shipwrecks off Greece, Libya and Morocco involving scores of Pakistani nationals.

鈥淭he accused, Muhammad Muzammil and Sher Khan, extorted large sums of money from citizens by falsely promising overseas employment opportunities,鈥� the FIA said in a statement. 鈥淢uzammil took Rs852,000 [$2,982] from a victim under the pretense of securing a job in 黑料社区, while Sher Khan collected Rs2 million [$7,000] by offering fake employment in the UK,鈥� it continued. 鈥淏oth failed to deliver and went into hiding after collecting the money.鈥�

The statement noted that the suspects were also involved in visa fraud.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to crack down on the criminal networks exploiting vulnerable people with false hopes of better lives abroad. His administration began focusing on the issue after more than 200 Pakistanis were presumed dead in a shipwreck off Greece among hundreds of other illegal migrants trying to reach European shores.

Earlier this year, over 40 Pakistanis were feared drowned near Morocco鈥檚 coast, while the International Organization for Migration said at least 60 migrants, including Pakistanis, were feared dead after a pair of shipwrecks off the coast of Libya in June.

The FIA said on Saturday that both suspects were arrested from separate locations in Multan and have been taken into custody for further investigation. It added that its crackdown on human smugglers remains ongoing.